Thrash metal veterans ACID REIGN are back with a new album, ‘Daze Of The Week’, hitting on May 15, 2026. This will be their first full-length effort since 2019’s critically praised ‘The Age Of Entitlement’.
The band, working with Back On Black records, also just dropped the first single from the album, “Fantastic Passion.” You can check it out below:
ACID REIGN has seen some changes in their camp since 2019. The lineup that recorded ‘The Age Of Entitlement’ – Marc (drums), Paul, and Cooky (guitars) – are no longer with the band. Now, we have what’s being called Acid Reign 3.0.
The new members include lead guitarist Matt Smith, a Berkley music college graduate, former Shrapnel drummer Johnny Grimley, and rhythm guitarist Darren Mcgillivray, a long-time AR fan and supporter. They join original vocalist H and bassist Pete to complete the current lineup.
Once again, long-time producer and collaborator Jayce Lewis was involved, flying in from New York to work on ‘Daze Of The Week’. Lewis described it as “a chance to work with a band that sounded reborn.”
Vocalist Howard H Smith commented: “In all my 41 years in this band, yes 41! I have never been more excited by the prospect of anything than releasing Daze Of The Week on the unsuspecting thrash metal public. It’s been 2 years in the making and at times I thought it might never even see the light of day! Every note of every performance in every song has been lovingly captured by our sixth member producer Jayce Lewis and we couldn’t be happier with the results. This one is for every single thrasher around the world who thought that albums like this couldn’t be made anymore. They can, we have, you’re welcome.”
H also addressed the lineup changes: “There were times, specifically when Marc & Cooky left at the same time I really did wonder if it was time to call it quits. That was quickly followed by, NO WAY. No way am I letting circumstance dictate when this band’s career ends, we will decide. Being in a legacy band (which is a label he is happy and proud to accept) is a privilege, if a 15 year old me was told we’d still be putting albums out all these later it would have blown his tiny mind! Matt and Pete were desperate to get a new album written as was I and so we got down to it.”
He added: “Matt has been here for 4 years already! I can honestly say he is the best guitarist I have ever worked with, no offence intended to any I’ve played with in the past but he is in a different league as well as being a beautiful human being. Johnny messaged us one day asking if we were still looking for a drummer, he’d never crossed my mind as I knew he quit drumming a few years ago for health reasons. However his situation had changed and that was the best news we’d had in ages as Pete and I had always rated him as a drummer and a bloke. As for Darren where do I start?! I became friends with Darren via his lovey wife Victoria who proposed to him on the front row of an AR show I even MC’d their wedding! He’s a top bloke and solid as steel rhythm guitarist. He contacted me when we were still looking for a drummer offering his services and then had to wait an age for his audition until we found Johnny. Even then on the day Matt was taken ill and we had to do it as a four piece, unflappable as ever he breezed through like I always thought he would. Honestly, we cannot wait to get out and play the new stuff, old stuff, any stuff we just want to play!”
Charlie Griffiths (ex Haken), who plays a duelling solo with Matt on “Fantastic Passion,” also praised the album: “It’s wonderful! Wall to wall awesome riffs, great songwriting and beautifully angry lyrics and vocals.”
The album is available for pre-order now via Plastic Head.
2025 saw a re-reboot; 2026 is the year Acid Reign is revitalized. Again.
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